


Ramble

by AutisticWriter



Series: Autistic Headcanons [88]
Category: Horrible Histories
Genre: Autism, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Bob Hale, Character Study, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, HHTV News, Headcanon, Short One Shot, Special Interests, Stimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-29 20:36:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12092940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: Bob Hale loves his job.





	Ramble

Bob is very good at doing his reports.

He loves history almost as much as he loves helicopters, and that’s saying something. And when he is obsessed with something, he can read about it endlessly without getting bored. So researching and writing the various historical topics he will be doing a report on is really enjoyable. And his reports often end up far longer than they are supposed to be, but that doesn’t matter, given how fast Bob speaks when he performs them.

So Bob is always excited when he ends up stood in front of the green screen, clasping his hands together and going over his lines in his head. And as he speaks the words seem to tumble out of him, so fast he sort of loses track of what he is saying – but not really, because he never stumbles or falters and everyone says he has excellent timing.

His reports are more like speeches – monologues, really – and he recites them to the camera as though it was the only thing there. He ignores the crew and everything going on in the studio and just speaks to the camera, infodumping everything he learned off by heart.

And when he is done (because he always manages to do them in a single take), Bob always feels a surge of pride when the crew congratulate him. Because everyone always remarks about how good he is at his job.

But there is obviously a reason why he always stays in the studio, why he is never sent out on location like Mike or Jessica. And Bob thinks he knows what it is. One time, Mike was talking to Sam about doing interviews and reports on location, and something he said hit Bob hard.

“You need good people skills,” he said. “That’s really important. Especially because some of these historical people I have to interview aren’t exactly… friendly.”

And Bob knows he was right, that he is still right. You need good social skills to do interviews. And Bob doesn’t have good social skills.

Yes, he can talk (in fact, he can ramble on and on until he gets told to shut up), but he struggles with actual conversations. He never knows when it is his turn to speak, and small talk is almost painful. He often ends up going red and staring at the floor, his hands fluttering as he tucks them behind his back.

Of course, he doesn’t really mind. From what Mike has told him from his time in HHTV’s sick bay, going on location in the past is a demanding, disgusting and dangerous job that no one on the team really wants to do. So he’s definitely safer and happier staying in the studio with Sam.

And he loves his job, he really does. And his colleagues too. He just wishes that their bosses might understand why Bob probably shouldn’t go on location, rather than just writing him off as a silly man with an obsession with helicopters. But Mike and Sam understand, and Bob is so glad he has such good friends.


End file.
